Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts of biology teachers, there are still misconceptions regarding evolution. Pop science nonsense has led many people to believe that biologists don't believe evolution.
This rich Web site, which is a complement to the PBS program, provides teachers with materials that promote evolution education, while avoiding the kinds of misconceptions which undermine it. It's organized in the "bread crumb" format to make navigation and orientation easier.
Definitions
It's not easy to effectively teach evolution. It is often misunderstood by non-scientists and even scientists have been guilty of using a definition that confuses the issue. This is especially applicable to discussions on the meaning of the word itself.
It is therefore essential to define the terms that are used in evolutionary biology. Understanding Evolution's website helps you define these terms in a simple and efficient way. The website is a companion to the show that premiered in 2001, but can also function as an independent resource. The content is presented in a structured manner that makes it simpler to navigate and understand.
The site defines terms like common ancestor (or common ancestor), gradual process, and adaptation. 에볼루션사이트 help to define the nature and relationship of evolution to other scientific concepts. The site gives a comprehensive overview of the ways in which evolution has been examined. This information can be used to dispel myths that have been propagated by the creationists.
It is also possible to get a glossary of terms used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
Adaptation is the tendency of hereditary traits to become more suitable to their environment. This is the result of natural selection, which happens when organisms that are more adaptable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce than those with less adapted traits.
Common ancestor: The latest common ancestor of two or more distinct species. By studying the DNA of these species it is possible to identify the common ancestor.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid: A huge biological molecular that contains the information required for cell replication. The information is stored in nucleotide sequences which are strung into long chains known as chromosomes. Mutations are responsible for the creation of new genetic information inside cells.
Coevolution is a relationship between two species in which the evolution of one species are influenced evolutionary changes in the other. Coevolution can be observed in the interaction of predator and prey, or parasite and hosts.
Origins
Species (groups that can crossbreed), evolve through a series of natural changes in the traits of their offspring. These changes can be caused by many factors, such as natural selection, gene drift, and mixing of the gene pool. The development of a new species may take thousands of years and the process could be slowed down or speeded up by environmental factors like climate change or competition for food or habitat.
The Evolution site tracks the development of a variety of species of plants and animals over time, focusing on the major shifts that occurred throughout each group's history. It also examines the human evolutionary roots and humans, a subject that is particularly important for students to understand.
Darwin's Origin was published in 1859, at a time when only a few antediluvian fossils of human beings had been discovered. The famous skullcap, with the associated bones were discovered in 1856 in the Little Feldhofer Grotto of Germany. It is now recognized as an early Homo neanderthalensis. It is highly unlikely that Darwin was aware of the skullcap when it was published in 1858, one year following the initial edition of The Origin. Origin.
While the site is focused on biology, it includes a good deal of information about geology as well as paleontology. The Web site has a number of aspects that are quite impressive, including the timeline of how geological and climate conditions have changed over the course of time. It also has a map showing the distribution of fossil groups.
Although the site is a companion to a PBS television show, it also stands on its own as an excellent source for teachers and students. The site is well-organized and offers clear links to the introductory material of Understanding Evolution (developed under the National Science Foundation's assistance) and the more specific features of the museum website. These hyperlinks facilitate the move from the cartoon-like style of the Understanding Evolution pages to the more sophisticated world of research science. There are 에볼루션사이트 to John Endler’s experiments with guppies, which illustrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory.
Diversity
The evolution of life has resulted in an array of plants, animals and insects. Paleobiology, the study of these creatures within their geological environment is a superior method of study over the current observational or experimental methods for studying evolutionary processes. In addition to exploring processes and events that take place regularly or over a lengthy period of time, paleobiology is able to study the diversity of kinds of organisms as well as their distribution throughout the geological time.
The website is divided into several options to study the subject of evolution. One of the paths, "Evolution 101," walks the reader through the evolution of nature and the evidence of evolution. The course also focuses on common misconceptions about evolution as well as the evolution of thought.
Each of the other sections of the Evolution site is equally constructed, with materials that support a variety of different pedagogical levels and curriculum levels. In addition to general textual content, the site also has an array of interactive and multimedia resources, such as video clips, animations, and virtual laboratories. The content is organized in a nested, bread crumb style that facilitates navigation and orientation on the Web site.
The page "Coral Reef Connections", for example, gives a brief overview of coral relationships and interactions with other organisms and then is enlarged to show a single clam, which is able communicate with its neighbors and react to changes in water conditions that occur on the reef level. This page, as well as the other multidisciplinary multimedia and interactive pages, gives a good introduction to the many areas of evolutionary biology. The information also includes an explanation of the role of natural selection and the concept of phylogenetic analysis which is an important method to understand evolutionary change.
Evolutionary Theory
Evolution is a common thread that connects all branches of biology. A rich collection of resources can help teachers teach about evolution across all life sciences.
One resource, which is a companion to the PBS television series Understanding Evolution, is an excellent example of a Web site that offers both depth and a variety of educational resources. The site offers a range of interactive learning modules. It also has an encased "bread crumb" structure that helps students move from the cartoon-like style of Understanding Evolution to elements on this huge site that are closer to the world of research science. Animation that introduces the concept of genetics links to a page about John Endler's experiments with artificial selection using Guppies living in ponds native to Trinidad.
Another useful resource is the Evolution Library on this web website, which includes an extensive library of multimedia items that are related to evolution. The contents are organized into curricula-based pathways that correspond to the learning objectives set out in biology standards. It contains seven videos specifically designed for use in classrooms, and can be streamed for free or purchased on DVD.
A variety of crucial questions remain at the heart of evolutionary biology, such as what triggers evolution and how fast it occurs. This is particularly relevant for the evolution of humans which was a challenge to reconcile religious beliefs that humanity has a special place in the creation and a soul with the notion that our physical traits originated from Apes.
There are a myriad of other ways evolution could occur and natural selection being the most well-known theory. Scientists also study other types such as genetic drift and sexual selection.
Although many scientific fields of study conflict with literal interpretations in religious texts, evolution biology has been a source of intense debate and opposition from religious fundamentalists. While some religions have been able to reconcile their beliefs with the theories of evolution, others have not.